


No Rest for the Wicked

by justhuman



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Alternate Ending, Episode: s05e22 Not Fade Away, F/M, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-05-19
Updated: 2004-05-19
Packaged: 2017-10-29 03:46:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/315460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justhuman/pseuds/justhuman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tag to <i>Not Fade Away</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	No Rest for the Wicked

"You always did like to pass out after you were royally fucked."

Wesley thought he opened his eyes, but he couldn't be sure because focusing was out of the question. "And you always liked to talk, keeping me awake."

"See, you remember this stuff -- part of why I love your great big brain."

"Was it just my brain?"

"Well there was your great big-"

Moving his hand to his gut, Wesley's body tightened in sheer agony as he coughed up blood. From a clinical point of view based on the various locations and intensity of the pain, he was fairly sure that the knife hadn't got to either lung -- strangely not reassuring.

"Okay, Wes time to focus."

"Lilah, can't you even let a man rest in peace. I'm dead."

"Nope. I'm dead, and for the moment, you're still alive."

"You're an illusion, a hallucination." Wesley's mouth was dry, but he added, "That talks too much."

"You know, for a smart guy you're wasting a lot of precious time being wrong."

" If you were Lilah you're in hell because of an unbreakable contract with Wolfram & Hart."

Cool fingers stroked Wesley's forehead. "Normally you'd be right, but it seems that Angel knocked the piss out of them a little while ago. Their unraveling and releasing contracts left and right to stabilize themselves. For a limited engagement only, I'm a free agent. Wesley, are you listening to me?"

Her voice was harsh in his ears, waking him up, keeping him up.

"Fine. You're dead and I'm dying."

"The magic, Wes. You don't have to be dying."

"Not, not a healer."

Fingers threaded into his, slippery with blood. "Do you trust me?" Her voice was soft and near his ear.

"No."

"Will you follow me anyway?"

"Why? What for?"

"Because I know who you really loved, and it wasn't either of us dead girls. Angel's about to get his ass kicked. He needs you."

Trying to sort his thoughts was a useless endeavor and his emotions were even harder. There was a harsh sounding laugh, and Wesley knew that it was his own, but somehow he wasn't connected to it.

"You're patching me up so I can go and get myself killed." It wasn't a question so much as a summation of the facts.

"Yeah, pretty much. Wes, will you do it for Angel?"

There were no thoughts that came to his mind, only a word to his lips, "Yes." While none of the pain receded, relief washed through Wesley, knowing that it was the right decision-the only decision.

Lilah's fingers tightened around his which had gone very stiff. "Okay, you've got the mojo, and I've got the roadmap to health. Lay on the power."

There was a false start but then Wesley began pulling it. He decided it was a damn good thing that Lilah was directing the energy because Wesley could barely focus on bringing to his hand. As he pulled it became easier to draw on more and more power. At the same time breathing and moving became easier as well.

Opening his eyes, Wesley saw Lilah smiling down on him, their blood stained fingers still intertwined.

"Lilah, we don't have all night," said another voice, female. Rolling her eyes, Lilah leaned in for a kiss. It was a gentle thing, laced with sadness, friendship and perhaps the last embers of a passion, long since grown cold. Then without looking at Wesley's face, she pulled her fingers out of his and stood.

Struggling a bit with soreness and pain, Wesley turned to see Eve, holding a paper.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was the last one left in the crumbling ruins. The Partners decided that they could probably use my services after all. You know where to sign, don't you, Lilah?"

Snatching the pen, from Eve's fingers, Lilah read the form, never looking back at Wesley.

"Lilah!"

"All in order; reinstatement of my contract in return for emergency medical assistance. You upheld your end."

Wesley slowly stood up, but much too late to stop her pen. "Lilah..."

"Wesley, we all do what needs to be done for those we care about. Angel's in the alley north of the Hyperion." Without a further word the women vanished.

Emotion rushed through him, things that Wesley still wasn't fully ready to acknowledge. Picking up the large curve blade that had so recently been in his gut, Wesley headed towards the door.

Angel needed him.

**Author's Note:**

> Really? You expected me to accept that Wesley died and just walk away ;-)


End file.
